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The John Batchelor Show

S8 Ep338: CAMPAIGN RHETORIC AND ELEANOR ROOSEVELT'S ROLE Colleague David Pietrusza. Alf Landon proves to be an ineffective campaigner with a terrible radio voice, while Eleanor Roosevelt becomes a star, drawing immense crowds. Eleanor is crucial in securing the Afr

The John Batchelor Show

John Batchelor

News, Arts, Books, Society & Culture

4.52.8K Ratings

🗓️ 19 January 2026

⏱️ 16 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

CAMPAIGN RHETORIC AND ELEANOR ROOSEVELT'S ROLE Colleague David Pietrusza. Alf Landon proves to be an ineffective campaigner with a terrible radio voice, while Eleanor Roosevelt becomes a star, drawing immense crowds. Eleanor is crucial in securing the African-American vote in the North, even as FDR refuses to back anti-lynching laws to avoid alienating the South. The campaign culminates in Roosevelt's blistering speech at Madison Square Garden, where he denounces "economic royalists" and welcomes their hatred. While early polls suggest a contest, Landon's momentum fades as the President aggressively defends the New Deal and attacks wealthy business interests. NUMBER 7
1936 POLAND

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roosevelt sweeps nation it's campaign time alf landon and franklin delano roosevelt the nominees of the

0:52.5

major parties and we begin with the Lennon campaign

0:55.3

because there's not a great deal to say except for why there isn't a great deal to say. David,

1:00.2

Landon does not attend the convention that nominates him. What happens afterwards to remember? Thank you.

1:07.6

Well, he makes up for not being there by not being there,

1:11.8

by going on vacation for two weeks at a Ritzie Dood Ranch, essentially,

1:17.1

in Colorado, and then not doing anything for another few weeks while his campaign staff goes out there,

1:26.2

but he doesn't.

1:27.1

But when he finally does go out there,

1:30.5

he's more energetic. He's still a bad speaker, but he gives a series of speeches at the end of the

1:37.4

campaign or towards the end on the tariffs, on agriculture, and most horribly on social security, already the third rail of

1:48.6

American politics and proceeds to just lose chunk after chunk of electoral support.

1:55.9

We should mention there are polling results from this summer of 1936 that are striking.

2:04.8

I have from your reporting, David, in July of 1936, the Gallup poll, George Galvest poll,

2:11.7

records 272 electoral votes for Landon, 259 for Roosevelt, giving Landon the presidency. However, a month later,

...

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